Wide-necked open topped drums are presently available for the transport of particularly dangerous liquid or solid charges. Such drums have a barrel body portion flange at the upper open end for cooperating with a standard flanged cover and tension ring for providing a gas and liquid-proof fastening of the standard barrel cover to the drum. Such drums with standard removable covers are widely known and are used, for example, in the large-scale chemical industry on the basis of official test approvals for the various sizes of barrels (for example, 30, 60, 120 or 220 liter capacity) for the most varied of charges.
These drums with removable covers are usually of a slightly reduced barrel diameter in the upper and lower barrel portions, the central portion being of the greatest diameter. Therefore, empty drums with removable covers, particularly when used for intercontinental shipment, cannot be stacked one into the other in any great number. This consequently gives rise to high freight costs owing to the large total freight volume required.
Rain barrels manufactured out of synthetic material are also known. They comprise a completely cone-shaped barrel body, and are unsuitable for the transport of particularly dangerous liquid or solid charges since the barrel cannot be firmly sealed. The upper edge of the open end of such barrels is flanged almost rectangularly to the exterior to form a supporting surface for a barrel cover inserted into the barrel opening and resting on the flanged edge. This barrel cover cannot be fitted onto the barrel opening with a tension ring so as to be liquid-proof for lack of sealing surfaces and lack of differences in diameter of the barrel flange and cover rim. Such was not its designation anyway, since the cover comprises a non-lockable central inflow opening for the collection of rain water and, moreover, only serves to prevent particles, such as leaves, falling into the barrel.